Tiger's Mate

Chapter 33 prt. 1

•Ethan•

Well. At least it seems a few good things came from going back to school on Monday. Or, maybe it was really only just one—

"I made the team!?"

Katski's exclamation — thank god — did not catch the attention of the entire hallway of the school, as it was halfway through the lunch period when he heard the basketball roster had been posted. I didn't exactly know why he sounded so shocked. But his eyes were wide open, and he was blinking in succession at the scribbled name at the top of the sheet in the nastiest handwriting I've ever set eyes on. Barely readable, and yet, still managed to say:

Katski Black.

"I can't tell, are you genuinely surprised or just acting like it because you think it makes you seem 'humble'?" I asked, unable to help rolling my eyes as I stood boredly behind him.

Katski finally looked away from the sheet to shoot me a frowning look over his shoulder — wearing another hoodie today.

"Ok first off — fuck you later," he said, and I raised an eyebrow with interest at his peculiar word choice. "Second, should I not be surprised?"

He sounded so genuine with the stupid question that I was momentarily caught at a loss. He was either doing this little act on purpose...Or — my boyfriend was extremely stupid.

"You're kidding me right?" I stared at his blank expression with one of my own. I snapped, "You were the best fucking one out there! Of course you're making the damn team you idiot!"

He laughed sheepishly then, rubbing the back of his neck. By gods he was serious? And stupid then! He really thought there was a chance he wouldn't be making the basketball team even after how much showing off he had done during their tryouts?

Yep. Absolute idiot.

But that absolute idiot was my boyfriend and mate, so I guess I might as well offer to do something nice for him.

"Do you wanna..." I fumbled awkwardly and turned my gaze away pointedly as I realized I hadn't thought out what I was acting going to say. Suddenly my brain decided now was the time to cut out. "Go out...to, uh, celebrate...or something?"

I winced because holy fuck that had come out sounding so lame.

Katski blinked nevertheless, seemingly none the wiser. "You mean it?" He sounded like excitement was bubbling beneath the surface.

I wasn't sure why I was blushing, only that I was and it was fucking embarrassing. "Yeah, why not?" I said, trying to cover for the heat in my face by keeping a neutral expression. It was...not working.

Katski laughed — at me — and then smiled brightly. "Luna's!" He declared.

I raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?"

"Yeah," he replied without fault, "That place is really nice. Hey, also remember that project we still have to do?"

"You want to work?" I pronounced it like the word was foreign. It may as well have been, because who the hell wanted to do school work on a celebration date?